Passenger vehicles often include electric batteries for operating features of vehicle electrical and drivetrain systems. For example, vehicles commonly include a 12V lead-acid automotive battery configured to supply electric energy to vehicle starter systems (e.g., a starter motor), lighting systems, and/or ignition systems. In electric, fuel cell (“FC”), and/or hybrid vehicles, a low voltage vehicle battery may be used to supply electric energy to a certain subset of vehicle features not powered by a high voltage (“HV”) battery system used primarily to power electric drivetrain components (e.g., electric drive motors and the like).
In certain vehicle designs, battery systems included in a vehicle may be liquid-cooled using aqueous coolants such as ethylene glycol and water compositions. For example, to dissipate heat generated by a HV battery, a HV battery system may integrate a cooling system configured to cool the HV battery using a liquid coolant. Manufacturing errors in the battery and/or cooling system, vehicle impact events (e.g., collisions), and/or degradation of components of the cooling system, however, may result in liquid coolant leaking from containment reservoirs and/or other coolant transport components (e.g., piping, valves, and the like) into the battery system. Leaked coolant may cause a variety of problems, including electrical malfunctions caused by liquid coolant shorting electronics included in the battery system and/or thermal events. Water condensation in the battery system caused by, for example, changes in air pressure and/or relative humidity, may also cause similar problems.